Week 1.... Smiling

Ok, so I have been racking my brain in hopes of figuring out a topic that I might be able to write something interesting about for a whole week. My mind went from political ideas (too dividing right now) religious issues (I don't know enough about this yet, so if you are interested in the idea ask my father), and just other random ideas. Through the chaos and downpour of ideas flowing through an unorganized mind I witnessed something that sparked a world of ideas to write about. Today while walking to class I had to cross the service exit of the Breslin Center, there was a man driving a mini-van sitting at the exit waiting to turn out onto the road. I slowed my walk in order to let him have the space to drive out, rather than turning and being on his way he motioned for me to cross in front of him. (which I thought was rather unusual but I didn't think too much about it and crossed in front of him) The fascinating thing that sparked this blog is what happened next, while crossing in front of him i smiled and lifted my hand as if to say thanks, the look on his face was priceless. It was the sort of, completely shocked-that-never-happens-to-me-bewildered-look. That look on his face in turn made me perplexed and sparked a thought or rather an experiment. I decided to smile at every person/car/bus I passed by and see their reactions. It became quite humorous. Honestly try it out if you don't believe me. Some people smiled back (rare) some gave the same look that man driving gave me, while others seemed completely weirded which in turn caused them to walk faster as if to get away from me. While doing this I was almost completely shocked at what was happening, are people so unaccustomed to being smiled at that when it happens they are shocked/scared? One facial expression has the ability to cause  a visible response, and its supposed to be the pleasant expression. So my challenge/goal this week is to change that... and I challenge you the same, its simple just SMILE....  "Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing." Mother Teresa